"Bloody foreigners, coming over here, saving our lives"

Hat tip my UNISON Police staff comrade Tony Green for this brilliant photo from 2018 reminding us that so many of our front line NHS (& Social Care) heroes were not born in the UK. 

Bwthyn Unig / Lone Cottage by Kyffin Williams: Ebrill April 2020

Another lovely painting Welsh artist Kyffin Williams. This month's landscape is from my 2020 National Library of Wales calendar. 

I would love to be walking along this track this Easter weekend. Maybe next year....

"Coronavirus: Newham Council approves more than £60m worth of council tax and business rates relief"

Headline is from the Newham Recorder and picture of Newham Mayor, Rokhsana Fiaz at our 2nd "urgent" Council Cabinet meeting of the current crisis on Friday (3rd April).

Because of legal requirements that all Cabinet meetings had to have at least 3 members present, the Mayor, myself and Cllr Julianne Marriott (Education Chief) were physically present at the meeting with certain senior officers (ironically this requirement was changed the following day).

Other Cabinet and Executive members (and Chair of Scrutiny)  skyped into the meeting as well as senior managers.

As the Recorder reports, we discussed and approved 3 proposals (see live Facebook feed of the meeting https://www.facebook.com/newhamcouncil/videos/2634262050189672/)

We agreed over £60 million of Council tax and business rates relief. Some 20,000 of the poorest Newham families and Households (around 20% of all liable to pay) will now pay zero or little Council tax.

A 100% discount on business rates for eligible businesses who will be also able to apply for grants of between £10,000 to £25,000.

Leisure, retail and hospitality businesses, as well as nurseries are the main beneficiaries of the grants. So your local private gym, clothes shops and pubs should be able to apply for help.

We also agreed to safeguard our critical and essential public services such as bin collections, highways safety, child protection, social care, youth safety, temporary and emergency accommodation

Extra powers were also approved for our Chief Executive and Directors to increase the power to make urgent procurement decisions due to the COVID emergency (subject to consultation with the appropriate Cabinet member). These powers will only be for COVID issues and will last for 6 months and reviewed in 3 months. Cllr Marriott clarified that we can rescind these powers sooner if they are not needed any more.

Cllr Sarah Ruiz (virtually) asked the question about will the Government deliver on their promises to pay for all this? In the light of 10 years of austerity this is a fair point. I also asked that we press for greater clarity and guidance from the government on what they have promised. For example we have undertaken significant expenditure on moving homeless families and children into more suitable self contained accommodation? Will we get the money back and what about afterwards? Will we get the money to properly house these families for the long term?

It was a sombre meeting, knowing how important these issues are to everyone who lives or works in Newham. We were also conscious that we are making these important decisions, without all the usual constitutional and governance arrangements.  I think we have muddled through imperfectly but in the finest traditions of British local government, adapting and evolving to meet the most serious national crisis in my lifetime. 

Self isolating circular walk from Forest Gate via Bush Wood & Wanstead

On Sunday Gill and I took advantage of the lovely weather to walk from home for our hour of exercise. We went via Wanstead flats (Epping Forest) past Jubilee Pond into Bush Wood then Wanstead then home. There is loads of beautiful openspaces and parkland within London.

As you can see, pretty much everyone we saw was acting appropriately and keeping to government guidelines. If we keep this up then our parks and open spaces will not have to be closed.

I note today that the French government have banned taking physical exercise between 10am to 7pm. Hopefully, if we keep to our government guidelines such drastic measure will not need to be introduced in the UK. 

Self isolate or this may happen in UK

Hat tip UK Government website

"This is a non-professional translation of the French personal travel exemption relating to the COVID-19 decree.

You must download the French form below, print it and complete it and carry it on your person for each outing.

This attestation complements the printed and paper versions currently in circulation and works on smartphones or tablets with a QR code which allows the police to scan it without needing to touch the device. Police will also be able to see if and when the attestation was edited to counter fraudulently dated and timed copies. There is no risk to data being stolen, as files will not be stored. However, you can save your own information.

In accordance with Article 3 of the decree issued on 23 March 2020 prescribing the general measures necessary to deal with the coronavirus (Covid-19) epidemic in the context of the health emergency

I, the undersigned

Mrs/Mr:

Born on:

Address:

• certify that my trip is related to the following reason authorised by article 3 of the decree of 23 March 23 2020 prescribing the general measures necessary to deal with the coronavirus (Covid-19) epidemic in the context of the state of emergency:
• trips between home and place of work, when there is essential need for it, because the professional activity cannot be performed at home (provide permanent documentary proof) or professional trips that cannot be postponed
• outings to make essential purchases (full list available on gouvernement.fr), or to purchase supplies that are indispensable to professional activity, or to withdraw cash
• outings for urgent medical care, appointments and care that cannot take place remotely, care for chronic diseases, such as diabetes
• outings for essential family reasons, to assist vulnerable people or for childcare
• short trips, close to home, for individual physical activity, excluding collective sports, and for the needs of domestic animals; a walk with someone living in your household; within 1km of your home; no longer than an hour; only once per day
• responding to administrative and judicial summons
• joining a community activity, if asked by your administrative authority

Completed in (name of town or city) on (MMY) and time (hour you left home) Signature

An Address by Her Majesty The Queen - BBC

As a committed republican I did not expect to post on this site an address by Her Majesty The Queen. However, she is our Head of State and her broadcast this evening on the COVID-19 emergency was very good. As someone who lived and served through World War 2 her words mean more than any other current politician and she delivered it with the right amount of gravatas. 

Keir Starmer acceptance speech (and results)

What a fantastic result (and such a relief). Keir is elected as Leader and Angela as Deputy by decisive margins (and to top it all Carol Sewell as new BAME Labour Party NEC member!). For the first time since the disaster of 12.12.19 I feel hope for our political future.

Who will lead the Labour Party? Find out 10.45am tomorrow

BBC reports "Members will learn the outcome via e-mail and the media after a planned special conference to unveil the winner was cancelled due the coronavirus pandemic.

The candidates for leader have each been asked to record victory speeches, one of which will be released alongside details of how many votes each candidate received.

The process of choosing a new leader began in December after Labour lost its fourth general election in a row".

Fingers crossed for you know who....

Leeds University Reunion 1981-84 (and at 8pm we #ClapforOurCarers)

We live in a very strange and somewhat scary world and in the midst of this international emergency a group of us decided to make the best of a very bad lot to organise a virtual reunion on Zoom and "meet up" after in some cases 36 years apart.

We were all students in Leeds University and most of us at one stage shared a house together (6 Stanmore in Headingley, Leeds) and/or were members of the University Territorial Army unit LUOTC.

Many thanks to Mike (still in Leeds) for organising; Vicki, Claire, Sue, Fiona (in Holland) and Max (in Australia) for taking part.

Apart from it being great to meet up again after so long and share memories, it was also really fascinating about how "C19" had impacted on their lives across the UK and Holland/Australia. Amidst the many happy 1980s reminisces, we are all very aware of the many difficult and tragic situations going on in this country and the rest of the world.

We hope to meet up again online in 3 weeks time and invite others from our memory bank to participate. We stopped at 8pm to "#ClapForOurCarers" but I am not sure that Max could participate since it was 6am in New South Wales.

Finally, apologies to all for the Zoom picture and instead check out this one below (not all of us) #WhenWeWereYoung

Newham Mayor Rokhsana Fiaz update about Coronavirus (COVID-19) 1 April

UPDATE ABOUT CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19): 330 CONFIRMED CASES OF COVID-19 IN NEWHAM AND HIGHEST RISE OF DEATHS IN A SINGLE DAY IN THE UK. WHICH IS WHY #StayAtHome IS VITAL

FROM MAYOR ROKHSANA FIAZ
April 1 2020

Dear Newham Resident,

As we settled in for the evening by ourselves or with immediate loved ones, we won’t find solace in the fact that today the UK recorded its highest number of deaths caused by coronavirus - rising by 563 people to 2,353.

The government reports that 152,979 people in the UK have been tested so far, with 29,474 recorded as positive. But figures from the Office for National Statistics also reveal that dozens more people have been dying as a result of the pandemic in care homes and other settings, meaning the true total is likely to be considerably higher.

In London, 8,341 people have been tested positive and here in Newham, 330 of our friends, colleagues and neighbours have now tested positive. Up 43 from yesterday.

Tragically, it was confirmed overnight that one of those to have died in London, was Ismail Mohamed Abdulwahab from south London. He was 13-years-old with no underlying health conditions.

Also on the day it emerged that only 2,000 frontline NHS England staff have been tested for coronavirus, out of about half a million staff members, we found out that a retired doctor who answered the call to help has also lost his life - the fourth frontline medic to do so.

My heartfelt condolences to those who have lost loved ones in such devastating circumstances, and I pray for a full recovery to all those suffering the effects of the virus.

It is clear we have still to reach the height of the virus’ impact in London and in our borough. That’s why it’s more important than ever to continue to follow the rules, and follow all the official trusted advice, be it from the NHS, Public Health England, or from ourselves at the Council. With more time on our hands, the internet is a tempting distraction, but it can also be a source of misleading, irresponsible and dangerous information.

People may want to believe fake information stories as an excuse not to follow the guidelines and carry on with our normal behaviours, but we all must really follow rules to protect each other. That includes thinking that driving in a car is an easy way around the restrictions. As Professor Yvonne Doyle, Public Health England’s director for health protection and medical director, has said it shows a worrying complacency on the back of evidence that shows that too many people are out and about in their cars more.

Stories about phony cures and conspiracy theories only detract from the crucial message about #StayAtHome. We must also continue to practice social distancing, avoid congregating in groups, keep up rigorous personal hygiene standards, as well as cutting out unnecessary travel – by cars or any other form of transport.

All of this advice is grounded in scientific fact, not wild speculation, and will keep you and your loved ones safer and at less risk of infection. While the vast majority of Newham residents are following the rules, there are sadly a minority in our borough who seem to think that the rules don’t apply to them.

Under emergency laws introduced on March 21 2020, the Council now has powers to take enforcement action against those who flout the law. Parks are being patrolled, (Police) officers are giving people in group’s advice to disperse, and where necessary have the power to make arrests.

In our high streets, Trading Standards, supported by law enforcement officers have been visiting shops deemed non-essential and advising them to close down immediately. Since patrols began, 50 have complied and four shops have been issued with notices for closure.

We have also had complaints about shops “hiking” prices for some essentials, and while there are lengthy and complicated legal means to tackle this, the best advice is to refuse to shop there. People power is a forceful tool, by all means call-out the profiteers, but if you don’t hand over your cash they will soon get the message. But we continue to monitor the situation and continue to tackle the few who are acting irresponsibly, to protect the many.

We must keep on top of this virus and delay its spread. If you are unsure about anything, you read or hear visit us at www.newham.gov.uk for latest about the virus, council services, health advice and help if you need it.

As always, stay safe and let’s #HelpNewham together.